Technology has made it increasingly easy for us to share our lives with others – both instantly and constantly. Yet, as we leave traces of our online footprint every time we surf the web, it has become more important than ever for us to be concerned about the information available about us online.
In this article we have outlined a few suggestions for accessing publicly available information. You can use the same techniques to do a free background check before taking on a roommate or going out on a date with that new crush you met online!
However, be cautious: these techniques are usually not as thorough as undertaking a paid background check that would delve deeper into someone’s background, usually with the consent of the subject.
Overview
When people think of background checks, they often think of criminal record or police checks. In Australia, unless they are being undertaken in line with specific legislation, consent and proof of ID is required from the subject. Additionally, checks can only be undertaken via Australian Police Agencies, such as the Australian Federal Police, or through accredited agencies of the National Police Checking Service, such as InterCheck Australia. Be wary of websites that claim they are offering criminal or police checks that are not appropriately accredited or do not require consent and proof of ID of the subject.
How Can I Do a Background Check on Someone or Myself?
Read the below seven different types of ways you can conduct a free background check on someone.
Search Engine
Use your favourite search engine (such as Google, Bing, Yahoo etc.), and start typing in key words and phrases. The search results provide a broad starting point from which to branch out. The advanced search options will help you narrow your search results and pinpoint any specific information you are seeking.
For optimal results, make sure you limit your search by putting in any relevant information you may know about your targets such as his or her city of residence, job occupation, or education.
While a Google search may prove to be revelatory, it will hardly yield sensitive results, such as a person’s criminal record or other sensitive history. For that, you’d have to go a step further!
Apply now for a police check (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check).
Social Media
If an individual’s profile is public, you can simply search for them using their full name and affiliated email address. If there are multiple people with the same name, use their location, education, and workplace details to hone in on the right person. If a profile is set to private or protected from search engine searches, it will likely not appear in the search results. Varying levels of privacy for different platform features means that some information may be public while some will be hidden.
Social Media searches as part of the background checking process are on the rise! Many background check providers now offer more objective Social Media checks that can help increase fairness and avoid the potential bias which can be introduced by a manual check.
Right to work in Australia
Australian citizens have automatic work rights in Australia. Non-Australian citizens require a valid Visa to work in Australia. Individuals can download myVEVO app for free to be able to track their visa details and conditions.
Read more: A guide to Right to Work in Australia for EmployersDepending on the type of information you are after, there are many great free resources available online. Here are some suggestions:
Public Record Databases
Depending on the type of information you are after, there are many great free resources available online. Here are some suggestions:
National Archive Australia: Here, you can find information about family history. The National Archives holds many records in which you might find information about your ancestors. If your family members served in the Australian armed forces or if they migrated to Australia during the 20th century, you should be able to dig up all these details in this archive. In addition, The NAA holds records about people who arrived from overseas during the 20th century and some who arrived during the 19th century. They also hold records about Australians who left and returned to Australia.
Australia Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies: this site can help you to delve into the history of indigenous families in particular. Their collections have information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families, communities and places.
Department of Social Service: This brings together historical resources relating to institutional ‘care’ in Australia. Developed by a team of historians, archivists and social workers, it is designed to help those who experience out-of-home ‘care’ access records.
Australia Birth, Death and Marriage Use these indexes to locate official registration details of a person’s birth, death and marriage(s). You can also find supplementary information such as the date and place of an aforementioned event, parents’ names and a person’s age at the time of death in these indexes.
Victoria Public Record Office: Public Record Office Victoria is the official archive of the State Government of Victoria documents. They hold approximately 100kms of records from the mid-1830s till today, for use by the Government and people of Victoria.
The Collection includes information on historical events, as well as records of immigration and shipping, criminal trials and prisons, premiers and governors, royal commissions, boards of inquiry, and wills and probates, amongst others.
Federal Court Judgements: The Federal Court of Australia publishes court judgements on its website and updates it regularly. The Court’s jurisdiction covers almost all civil matters arising under Australian federal law and some summary and indictable criminal matters.
Credit checks
We all know your credit history can make or break financial dreams. Credit reporting agencies are required to offer free credit reports to individuals. It’s recommended to check your credit report at least once a year.
In Australia, there are three credit reporting agencies:
- Experian
- Illion
- Equifax
Credit providers use the information in your credit report to determine whether you can afford a loan or a larger credit limit on an existing loan, and whether you are likely to repay it. As well as affecting your ability to get credit, incorrect information on your credit report can alert you to things such as identity theft, where other people use your personal information for financial gain! That would include situations where someone runs up debts on your credit card after stealing it or tries to apply for credit in your name.
Some Tips:
- The more information you have about a person, the better your searches will be.
- If you aren’t completely sure you’ve found the right person, don’t act on the information until you’ve verified that the search results match the actual person.
- For businesses, it is worth considering a paid service for more objective results, saved time and you can be sure that the provided information is trusted and guaranteed. Find out more about Certn’s checks here.
